fable

1 of 2

noun

fa·​ble ˈfā-bəl 

: a fictitious narrative or statement: such as

a

: a legendary story of supernatural happenings

… Minerva is in fables said, from Jove without a mother to proceed …

—Sir John Davies

b

: a narration intended to enforce a useful truth

especially : one in which animals speak and act like human beings

The theme of the fable was the folly of human vanity.

c

: falsehood, lie

The story that he won the battle single-handedly is a mere fable.

fable

2 of 2

verb

fabled; fabling ˈfā-b(ə-)liŋ 

intransitive verb

archaic : to tell fables

transitive verb

: to talk or write about as if true

fabler

ˈfā-b(ə-)lər 

noun

Synonyms of fable

Noun

• allegory
• parable
• tale
• apologue

Examples of fable in a Sentence

Noun

a fable about busy ants

The story that he won the battle single-handedly is a mere fable.

He combines fact and fable to make a more interesting story.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The Family Stone actress penned her 2017 book about her masterpiece, writing that the inspiration behind her design stemmed from the children's fable, The Three Little Pigs. —Natalia Senanayake, PEOPLE, 12 May 2026

The barnyard fable is as old as the barnyard, as old as Aesop, older than the Bible. —Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 9 May 2026

Verb

And in a business where shoppers are seeking the fanciest, most advanced features, a long history, no matter how fabled, can be a liability. —Michael Ballaban, CNN Money, 9 May 2026

Zuckerman recently acquired the famous, ultra-low-mileage 1965 Chick Iverson 356 SC from their friend Jerry Seinfeld‘s fabled Porsche collection. —Howard Walker, Robb Report, 15 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French, going back to Latin fābula "talk, gossip, account, tale, legend," from fā-, stem of for, fārī "to speak, say" + -bula, feminine derivative of -bulum, instrumental suffix (going back to Indo-European *-d^hlom) — more at ban entry 1

Verb

Middle English fablen, borrowed from Anglo-French fabler, fableier, going back to Latin fābulārī "to talk, converse, invent a story," verbal derivative of fābula "talk, account, fable entry 1"

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Phrases Containing fable

• beast fable

Rhymes for fable

• able
• chaebol
• label
• sable
• stabile
• stable
• table
• allocable
• educable
• irrigable
• purchasable
• thermostable

Kids Definition

fable

noun

fa·​ble

ˈfā-bəl

: a short fictitious story

especially : one intended to teach a lesson and in which animals speak and act like human beings